1. Zebra Mussels a. General Information: i. Scientific name? Dreissena Polymorpha ii. Describe the species: 1. Appearance: Shells striped 2. Size? Weight? Height? Can grow till 2 inches b. Detailed Description: i. Life Cycle/ Reproduction information Zebra mussels can live in temperatures 81 degrees Fahrenheit or 27 degrees Celsius, for 4-6 years ii. Diet, etc They eat algae (15-40 micrometers) iii. Why is the organism so successful? 1.Explain in detail how they compete or out compete native species During colonization or fertilization (i.e. “planktonic period of life”), Zebra mussels must attach themselves to other mussels, “byssal threads,” or to “rocks, metal, wood, paper [and] plants” (Online 2). They ‘compete’ with other fishes for food or the phytoplankton (Online 2) decreasing after the available of the food. c. Habitat and distribution i. Where does the organism live? Zebra Mussells were first found in lakes located in St. Clair and Erie beginning from 1988 ii. Where has the organism spread to? They now colonize in the St. Lawrence Seaway, Lake Meade the Great Lakes, Ohio, Arkansas, and Tennessee Rivers d. Impacts i. Ecological Impacts? 1. Positive? They increase within different sea region, they also are filter feeders, so they clean the waters 2. Negative? Yellow perch and carp eat zebra mussels (4) Their encrustation impact the environment, causing “reduced energy” (2) Diving ducks have rerouted their migration to “avoid colonies of zebra mussels” (4) 2.Is there hybridization with native species? Zebra Mussels reproduce with their own species, and have colonized clams. ii. Human Impacts? 1. Health impacts? Zebra mussels have increased Lake Erie’s water “clarity” (seagrant) Their attachment to water pipes clogs irrigation water “filter feeders” 2. Economic impacts? Mussels are known to have attach themselves to boats “colonizing boat hulls” (3) e. History i. Where did this organism come from? Originally from Europe, i.e. surroundings of Ukraine and Russia ii. How did the species get here? Canals (c1700s) built in Europe allowed for their departure and arrival to the rest of Europe by the 1830s and eventually US Great Lakes seas 1985. iii. Where was the first incidence of the species? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W8276Ls8D4 Mussels may have been carried on a “transoceanic ship”to the US iv. What were the environmental conditions there? There were “transoceanic vessels discharged” from Asia to the Great Lakes f. Control Measures Do we actively try to climinate these species? Boaters attempt to prevent Zebra Mussels from attaching Explain The Great Lakes Information Network have pamphlet for information on control Costs involved Varies by state now; costs the US Power Industry 3.1 Billion (1993-1999)
a. General Information:
i. Scientific name?
Dreissena Polymorpha
ii. Describe the species:
1. Appearance:
Shells striped
2. Size? Weight? Height?
Can grow till 2 inches
b. Detailed Description:
i. Life Cycle/ Reproduction information
Zebra mussels can live in temperatures 81 degrees Fahrenheit or 27 degrees Celsius, for 4-6 years
ii. Diet, etc
They eat algae (15-40 micrometers)
iii. Why is the organism so successful?
1. Explain in detail how they compete or out compete native species
During colonization or fertilization (i.e. “planktonic period of life”), Zebra mussels must attach themselves to other mussels, “byssal threads,” or to “rocks, metal, wood, paper [and] plants” (Online 2).
They ‘compete’ with other fishes for food or the phytoplankton (Online 2) decreasing after the available of the food.
c. Habitat and distribution
i. Where does the organism live?
Zebra Mussells were first found in lakes located in St. Clair and Erie beginning from 1988
ii. Where has the organism spread to?
They now colonize in the St. Lawrence Seaway, Lake Meade the Great Lakes, Ohio, Arkansas, and Tennessee Rivers
d. Impacts
i. Ecological Impacts?
1. Positive?
They increase within different sea region, they also are filter feeders, so they clean the waters
2. Negative?
Yellow perch and carp eat zebra mussels (4)
Their encrustation impact the environment, causing “reduced energy” (2)
Diving ducks have rerouted their migration to “avoid colonies of zebra mussels” (4)
2. Is there hybridization with native species?
Zebra Mussels reproduce with their own species, and have colonized clams.
ii. Human Impacts?
1. Health impacts?
Zebra mussels have increased Lake Erie’s water “clarity” (seagrant)
Their attachment to water pipes clogs irrigation water
“filter feeders”
2. Economic impacts?
Mussels are known to have attach themselves to boats “colonizing boat hulls” (3)
e. History
i. Where did this organism come from?
Originally from Europe, i.e. surroundings of Ukraine and Russia
ii. How did the species get here?
Canals (c1700s) built in Europe allowed for their departure and arrival to the rest of Europe by the 1830s and
eventually US Great Lakes seas 1985.
iii. Where was the first incidence of the species? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W8276Ls8D4
Mussels may have been carried on a “transoceanic ship”to the US
iv. What were the environmental conditions there?
There were “transoceanic vessels discharged” from Asia to the Great Lakes
f. Control Measures
Do we actively try to climinate these species?
Boaters attempt to prevent Zebra Mussels from attaching
Explain
The Great Lakes Information Network have pamphlet for information on control
Costs involved
Varies by state now; costs the US Power Industry 3.1 Billion (1993-1999)
2. Works Cited
Boaters Take Actions Against Zebra Mussels. National Biological Services. Ohio Sea Grant, 1996.
Nationalatlas.gov; National Atlas of the United States
Ohio Sea Grant by Fred L. Synder, Maran Brainard Higendordf, and David W. Garton, 1997. http://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/upload/Zebra%20Mussels%20in%20North.pdf
Pennsylvania Sea Grant: http://seagrant.psu.edu/publications/fs/Zebra_Mussel_12-2003.pdf
What are Zebra Mussels? http://64.233.169.132/search?q=cache:0nuIGPnfyaYJ:www.des.water.ca.gov/docs/zm_lakemead_faq.pdf+zebra+mussels+costs+to+stop&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=9&gl=us
3. Discussion Posts
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